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4 May 2015

Turkish
government in general, and President Erdogan’s behaviour in particular,with regards to the peace process?

I
am concerned by a move towards authoritarianism under President Erdogan and
failure to engage with the peace process.Do you agree that in order for the peace
process to have any chance ofsuccess, the PKK must be unbanned in
order to be able to negotiate as an equalpartner, as the Apartheid regime had to
do in South Africa in 1990?The PKK should be unbanned, it is promoting
peace and the peace process can only proceed by engagement.

By banning the PKK, isn’t the British
government simply criminalising ourcommunity? And is it not supporting the
repression of Kurdish people in Turkeyand justifying Turkey’s human rights
abuses?

Even if the PKK ban was justified, which it is in my opinion not, this is no
excuse for criminalising Kurdish people.

Do you agree that Ocalan should be released
from solitary confinement inorder to be able to communicate with all
parties in the peace process and playhis crucial role in negotiations? Is
Turkish government showing any commitmentto the peace process at all by keeping
in solitary confinement?

I strongly agree that Ocalan should be released. Ocalan is the Kurds
Nelson Mandela, the peace process would be advanced by his release.

Furthermore, the conditions of Ocalan’s
have been shown to be equal to torture
as defined by the European Court of Human Rights. Would you use your
influence in government to press Turkey to be held accountable for
violations
of his human rights?

Yes I would, the UK is uncritical of
Turkish policy towards the Kurds and on human rights, this must change.

Do
you agree that the UK government has the responsibility to hold Turkey tointernational standards of human rights?
What would you do to stop the UKgovernment’s own anti-terror laws
leading this country’s human rights recorddown a slippery slope?

The Green Party especially via the work of Jenny Jones has a strong record on
defending human rights, it is vital that we continue this work. The UK
has already proceed in a direction where human rights are increasingly
disregarded.I am proud of Jean Lambert
MEP and Jenny Jones in showing long term solidarity with the Kurds.

What is your position on the role
of the Turkey in the Syrian conflict ingeneral, and towards the Kurdish regions
of Syria in particular?

In my opinion it is sadly negative, its shocking that, for example, Turkey made
it difficult for people to cross the border to help during the seige of Kobane

Do you agree that Rojava has the
right to self-determination within afederal and democratic Syria? Would you
push the UK government to recognise theright to Rojava to exist? Do you agree
that the Rojava administration has theright to participate in peace talks as
its own bloc, and not part of the SyrianNational Council? Do you agree that any
proposal for the future of Syria musttake the demands for self-determination
by the Rojava administration seriously?

I do, Rojava is a shining example to the world of an attempt to create
secular, non sectarian, deep democracy.We can all learn from Rojava.

Can you commit to pursuing any possible
means for ensuring humanitarian aidfrom the UK provided for the people of
Rojava, and to encouraging UK-based aidorganisations to work with Rojava based
humanitarian organisations such asHeyva Sor?